this is "world news." tonight, one-on-one, the president's first interview since that turning point debate with governor romney in denver. is it possible you handed him the election that night? what happened, and what is his new message to his supporters tonight and to his opponent? exploding air bags. could this be in your car? a new warning tonight for all drivers about a possible danger in the dash board and what you should do now. smoking guns. an avalanche of new evidence tonight in the case against lance armstrong. and, flying high. soaring at super sonic speed. a show of force by the first female combat pilot who has broken a new ceiling.

our own martha raddatz takes an amazing flight. >> three feet from the wing tip. good evening and welcome to "world news." anas we begin tonight, we have just returned from the white house, where we sat down, one-on-one, with president obama. it is his first interview since that big debate. polls show 72% of those watching that debate included president obama lost to rmitt romney. tonight, the pomes show the race is tightening fast. the republicans opponents more fired up than ever. his supporters saying, they want to know why the president didn't seem to show up and fight. and that's where we began. let's get right to it. >> yeah. >> reporter: that debate, what happened? >> well, governor romney had a good night. i had a bad night. >> reporter: how bad?

>> well, it's not the first time i've had a bad night. but i think what's important is that the fundamentals of what this race is about haven't changed. governor romney went to a lot of trouble to try to hide what his positions are, because he knows that those ideas have been rejected. they won't work. and if he's making an honest presentation about what he's proposed, he will lose, because the american people are not going to go back there. what this comes down to is, how are we going to grow an economy where everybody gets a fair shot? and governor romney's prescription is that if we cut taxes by $5 trillion, skewed towards the wealthy, and we roll back regulations that i've put in place, that the economy is going to grow. and i disagree with that. >> reporter: your supporters have been saying, this wasn't a bad night. he didn't show up. >> it just looked like, to me, he really didn't want to be there. his mind wasn't on it. he didn't want to engage. >> reporter: this is legendary democratic strategist james carville. >> well, as i've said, you know,

there's no doubt that i can make a better case. which is why i'm so looking forward to tuesday. >> reporter: but again, why did it happen? al gore said, was it the altitude? >> you know, the -- i'm not going to speculate on that. >> reporter: no lesson learned from it? >> well, i do think one lesson learned is just to make sure that people understand how much is at stake and how deeply i care about it. >> reporter: but we asked the president if he's second-guessing himself after that debate. >> i played a lot of sports when i was a kid and still do. if you have a bad game, you just move on. you look forward to the next one. and it makes you that much more determined. the difference between this and sports is that the stakes are so high. >> reporter: in the days since, the romney team has been out in force, saying, this wasn't just about performance or style. but an administration that seems tired and governor romney,

filled with energy and new ideas. >> well, there's no doubt that he made a good sales pitch. the problem is, the product's not going to work. there were no new ideas in there. >> reporter: what did mrs. obama say to you when you got home that night? >> you know what, michelle is always my best adviser, my toughest critic. she and i have been through this together. >> reporter: is it possible you handed him the election that night? >> no. >> reporter: you're going to win? >> yes. >> reporter: you want it more than the first time? >> absolutely. because i've, you know, one of the things about being in this office is, you're reminded every day about what's at stake. on saturday, i took michelle out to dinner. the waiter said, "thank you, you saved my mom's life because of

your health care law. she was able to get the care that she needed." that's who i'm fighting for. >> reporter: what's your message to joe biden? about tomorrow night? >> well, i -- you know, i think joe just needs to be joe. congressman ryan is a smart and effective speaker. but his yood ideas are the wro ones. and joe understands that. >> reporter: message to mitt romney? about tuesday night? >> well, i don't need to send a message to mitt romney. i think he will, once again, be very well prepared. you know, he -- you know, he makes a good power point presentation. i look forward to seeing hill. >> reporter: and he says, taking him on, on issues where he shifted, like legal abortion. during the primaries, the governor made it clear he would like to see a repeal of roe versus wade. but yesterday, in an interview, he said this. "there's no legislation with

regards to abortion that i'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda." >> well, look. this is -- this is another example of governor romney to sixes he's been campaigning on for a year and a half. >> reporter: is it a lie? >> governor romney has made very clear that if a bill comes to his desk that overturns roe versus wade, that he will be fully supportive of that. and he said, i will appoint justices that will overturn roe versus wade. and now, four weeks before an election, he is trying to cloud the question, when it comes to women's rights to control their own health care decisions. the one thing that i think people, republicans, as well as democrats, can say, is that there has been consistency with me, from the time that i started running for president, to today, and there will be consistency, all the way through the next

four years of my presidency. people will know where i stand, what i believe, what i'm fighting for. and that's part of leadership. >> and you can see a lot more of the interview with president obama tonight on "nightline" and tomorrow morning on "gma," and we want everyone to know, we're scheduling an interview with governor romney, as well, and we'll be announcing that in the coming days. and don forget, george stephanopoulos and i and our entire team will be right here, when the vice presidential candidates face off tomorrow night and our own award-winning martha raddatz will be moderating. 9:00 p.m. eastern/6:00 central. and, while we were at the white house on capitol hill, a fiery confrontation was under way over libya and that night four americans lost their lives, including u.s. ambassador chris stevens. tonight, new revelations about the terrorists, thor ie er if f their attack and new questions

about whether life-saving security was denied. abc's jake tapper has details. >> reporter: that horrifying night in benghazi had former security officials in libya today condemning their superiors for denying their requests for more security agents. >> i asked for 12 agents, his response to that was, "you are asking for the sun, moon and the stars." >> reporter: eric nordstrom, the former security officer at the u.s. embassy in libya, today recalled his biggest frustration as being the state department. >> it is dealing and fighting against the people, programs and personnel who are supposed to be supporting me. for me, the taliban is on the inside of the building. >> reporter: nordstrom suspected the denials for more security were rooted in a fear of making libya seem more unstable. but a state department official denied any politics were at play. >> i have directly served six secretaries of state, democratic and republican. on my honor, no. none. >> reporter: we've learned new

details of what happened that night. at 8:30, ambassador chris stevens went outside the compound to say good night to a visiting turish diplomat. the streets were empty. but at 9:40 p.m., security agents in the operations centere group of armed men entering the compound. stevens, information specialist sean smith and one security agent locked themselves in a safe area -- they saw their attackers hunting for them. then, pouring diesel and setting the house on fire. the three americans went to a bathroom area where they tried to open a small window for air, but it was not enough. on the ground, suffering from severe smoke inhalation, they decided to flee. but stevens and smith never made it out alive. diane sawyer asked the president about the white house's initial claims that the incident began with a protest against that anti-muslim video. >> as information came in, information was put out. the information may have not have always been right the first time.

look -- diane, these are people i know. and if there's something to be fixed, it'll get fixed. >> reporter: the commander of a security team pulled from libya weeks before the attack said that when he heard about the attack, it was instantly recognizable that it was terrorists. "i almost expected the attack to come," he said. "we were the last flag flying. it was a matter of time." diane? >> all right, jake, thank you so much. and tonight, we also want to pay attention to a very young and very courageous girl struggling for her life. a 14-year-old who decided to take a stand and speak out in pakistan on behalf of all the little girls there who dream of a future, and just want to go to school. she told this to "the new york times." >> i want to get my education and i want to become a doctor. >> reporter: that is malala yousufzai, who was riding the school bus, an armed man

boarded, called out her name and shot her. she's still unconscious in a hospital and the taliban has announced they are going to target her again. and back here at home, a dramatic twist in the case against lance armstrong. today, a new report showed that 11 of the men who rode with him, his teammates, have come forward to testify that armstrong was at the center of the drug use, what's being called the most sophisticated doping program in the history of sport. nearly 1,000 pages of testimony, lab results, financial transactions showing not only did armstrong dope, but demanded his teammates dope, as well. they say. and supplied them with illegal substances. and a warning tonight about the air bags in your car. the national highway traffic safety administration warning about counterfeit air bags installed by repair shops. they look like the real thing,

but they're not. so, how do you know what's in your car? abc's david kerley on that. >> reporter: this airbag, supposed to save your life, exposeds. fire shooting out of the steering wheel. it's a counterfeit. here it is again. the fake literally shooting parts and flames right at the driver. or this bag, another fake, that only partially inflates. customs agents were spotting fakes and when these tests of the suspected chinese-made counter counterfeits came back, the alert went out. >> when people try to think about counterfeiting having largely to do with somebody selling a bootleg dvd, we're dealing in a completely different world now. >> reporter: this summer in charlotte, boxes of the fakes were confiscated in a raid. some are sold on the internet, others to repair shops. this is only an issue if your air bag has deployed and you have to have it replaced. the government says goes to an authorized dealer and make sure you get the real deal. less than a quarter million vehicles repaired over the past three years may be affected.

the advice tonight? if you are not sure you got a real replacement, have a dealership check your new airbag. david kerley, abc news, washington. and coming up right here, outrage on board a plane. a man boards a plane, wearing what looks like a bulletproof visit, packing knives, clubs, shackles and body bags? how did he get on board? the answer, next. let's see if we can get one past the defense. hut! go! here it comes! right on the numbers! boom! get it! spin! oh, nice hands! chest bump. ugh! good job, man. nice! okay, halftime. now, this is my favorite play. oh! i'm wide open. oh, fumble. fumble. don't want to fumble any of these. [ male announcer ] share what you love, with who you love. kellogg's frosted flakes. it's up... and it's good! good?! they're grrreat!

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there have been a lot of questions raised about airport security, but how about this one? a man getting on a plane in los angeles had in his checked bag knives, a club, smoke cuffs and. how did it happen? a b bc news senior corresponden jim avila explains. >> reporter: fireproof leggings, knee pads a chinese knockout bulletproof style vest, all covered by the stair owe tip came long black trench coat. >> this guy is involved in some sort of delusion or fantasy that's totally didn't appropriate, obviously. >> reporter: in fact, sources tell abc news, harris, car rig only a laptop, wore that vest through security in china. but was taken aside and questioned during his route through south korea and japan, then allowed to proceed to the

united states. when he landed in los angeles, a customs agent noticed the unusual gash, checked his back and police arrested him. >> he had a myriad of items in his checked in luggage that raised a lof of suspicion. he had a gas mask, knives, handcuffs. >> reporter: still, it may surprise the average passenger, none of that frightening gear, not even the body bags in his luggage, is banned from planes. only a smoke grenade, also found in his checked luggage, is illegal, and the tsa is investigating how korean authorities let it get aboard. and while it could have produced plenty of smoke in the cabin, harris had no access to it in the cargo hull. it was not rigged to detonate on its own. >> weapons were found, bags left unattended, people go into quarantine areas, things like this happen all the time. >> reporter: police sources say harris told them, "this is a game." and while he was dressed for

one, it's clearly not a game homeland security is willing to play. jim avila, abc news, washington. and, coming up here, do you remember the woman singing in this duet, sarah brightman? well, it's the strangest new career move. she's flying to outer space? stay tuned. [ female announcer ] research suggests cell health plays a key role

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brightman is going to spend in space, to get to go up as the next space tourist. coming to us from the original star of "phantom of the opera, as you know." ♪ the british soprano also starred in the first "cats." she's going to circle the earth aboard the international space station after six months in training, blasting off in 2015. broadway, you might say, to the milky way, she says. and a photo in the news today. take a look. 234 pounds of baby love. an orphaned walrus, 15 weeks old, found alone in the waters off alaska. tomorrow, gets a new home in new york at the aquarium on coney island. he's going to catch a ride here on a fedex cargo jet. and we can't help but think that mustache reminds us of someone. yes, the lorax, dr. seuss. and, our person in the news

today, alex karras, who died today. the first time we heard his name, of course, was nfl tackle with the detroit lions. and when he career on the football field ended, he moved to the screen as an actor. he was that hulking cowboy punching out a horse in "blazing sadd saddles." later, he was the lovable dad on the 1980s sitcom, "webster." alex karras was 77 years old. and still ahead, something new in the need for speed. ♪ highway to the danger zone >> that's our martha raddatz taking off in an amazing flight with a woman that has shattered [ female ] with the 2-in-1 swiffer sweeper, a great clean doesn't have to take long. i'm done. are you thinking what i'm thinking? ♪ give me just a little more time ♪ okay. all right. oh! [ female announcer ] the 2-in-1 swiffer sweeper

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and finally tonight, we're going to take you to a place where the sky is only the limit. abc's martha raddatz has been in war zones with four-star generals, covered the white house and questioned world leaders and presidents. and, of course, tomorrow she'll be moderating the first vice presidential debate tomorrow night.

but right now, she's going to take us to meet one of america's most daring combat experts. the woman just named the first female leader of a fighter wing, 5,000 strong. >> reporter: it is one of the most fearsome fighter jets in the skies -- the f-15 strike eagle. and i could not be in more capable hands. colonel jeannie flynn leavitt is not only a decorated fighter pilot, she has broken through gender barriers few thought possible. he said, you realize you will be the first and there will be some attention. and i said, well, i don't want the attention. but i want to fly fighters more than anything. >> reporter: that was more than 20 years ago when she entered a world dominated by male swagger. >> the plaque for that alternates is down in the ladies' room. >> reporter: that attitude was not just in movies like "top gun." pentagon brass argued male bonding was critical. >> if you want to make a combat

uniineffective, assign some women to it. >> reporter: but like it or not, they were ordered to change. since then, the 46-year-old leavitt has logged more than 2,700 hours, 300 in combat over iraq and afghanistan, dropping bombs on enemy targets and avoiding enemy fire. leavitt now trains others for combat, commanding a 5,000 member fighter wing. this day, a mock bombing raid in the skies over north carolina. >> what the jets do first is show a force what they would do if this was a real battle. the changes with women flying combat aircraft? >> there's pilots with all skill levels. >> reporter: girls don't stand out anymore. >> it's very true. >> reporter: and the colonel and others have inspired a new generation. >> regardless of your gender, i think everyone's going to look up to her. everyone does look up to her.

>> you know, gender, race, religion -- none of that matters. what matters is how you perform. >> reporter: and she has performed. one of the best of the best. so, take that, maverick. martha raddatz, abc news,. and another reminder. we'll see martha raddatz again tomorrow, of course, as she moderates the vice presidential debate tomorrow night. hope you are with us. and thank you for watching tonight. we're always here at abcnews.com. "nightline" later. we'll see you again tomorrow. good night.

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